[TowerTalk] Where to put Lightning Arresters

[Gene Smar]

Joe:

     I put arresters through the side of a steel Hoffman box at the bottom
of my tower.
http://photobucket.com/gallery/user/ersmar/media/bWVkaWFJZDoxMzI5NDM0NA==/?r
ef=1   I did this because I have a coax switch inside the Hoffman box, so
the arrestors are ahead of the switch relays for each antenna.  Placing a
single arrestor at the shack end of the coax run to the switch would have
connected the relays in the switch directly to the antennas on the tower,
risking lightning damage.  

     If your installation has the coax running directly from the antenna
into your shack, then the arrestors ought to be on a conductive plate
(copper or aluminum) where the coax enters the house envelope.  You'll
probably have to mount this plate inside a weatherproof enclosure
(fiberglass is ok here) to protect the arrestors from the elements.  

     As for connecting the coax shields to the tower at the top and bottom
(someone else inquired about this in this thread), you don't have to install
coax connectors and use a feed-through bushing like a PL-258 to make the
connection to ground.  I posted about a homebrew solution back in 2001 and a
more-recent follow-up:
http://lists.contesting.com/archives//html/Towertalk/2011-03/msg00337.html .
Using this techniques does not require cutting the coax and installing
connectors.  Just remember not to install the mastic (if you use it) first;
install it over an initial couple of layers of electrical tape.  

     Good luck with the tower project.

73 de
Gene Smar  AD3F



-----Original Message-----
From: TowerTalk [mailto:towertalk-bounces at contesting.com] On Behalf Of Joe
Partlow
Sent: Thursday, November 09, 2017 5:49 PM
To: towertalk at contesting.com
Subject: [TowerTalk] Where to put Lightning Arresters

Is it better to put lightning arresters at the base of the tower or the
cable entrance at the shack or both? My coax run will be less than 100 feet
from the antenna at the top of a 33 foot tower to my radio.

--
- 73 -
- Joe W6JWP
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